Kosciusko will remain in 4A under Mississippi High School Activities Association reclassification for the two school years beginning in 2023, but with mostly new region opponents.
McAdams, Ethel and French camp will remain in 1A.
“I’m glad we’re still in 4A. I think that’s a good fit for us,” said Kosciusko athletic director Macy Wilbanks.
MHSAA announced reclassification numbers Thursday based upon enrollment figures, along with regions for football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, swimming and volleyball, beginning next year. A seventh class will be added.
The three largest classes, 5A, 6A and 7A, will have 24 schools each, with 40 in 4A, 41 in 3A, 40 in 2A and 46 in 1A. With 442 students, Kosciusko is the 15th largest 4A school.
MHSAA changed the formula for enrollment figures, dropping seniors and including only grades 9-11. In the past, it was 9-12. “The logic behind that is they (seniors) will not be here in the next two years,” Wilbanks said.
Kosciusko currently is competing in Region 4-4A. For most sports, the other schools are Choctaw Central, Leake Central, Louisville, Northeast Lauderdale and West Lauderdale. Kosciusko and Louisville will move to 3-4A, joining Caledonia, Greenwood and Houston. An exception is that soccer is listed as a four-team region because Greenwood does not have teams, and none of the schools has a swim team.
“Most of the schools that are rotating back into our district are people who have been in our district in the past, so we’re familiar with them” Wilbanks said. “I think it’s nice to have some fresh teams in the district.”
Kosciusko-West Lauderdale has become a great rivalry in baseball and softball. For at least two years, the schools will not meet in region play, but could meet in the playoffs because both will be in the North half.
Kosciusko and West Lauderdale have played some memorable softball games the past two years, including the North State championship each year won by Kosciusko on the Lady Whippets’ way to state titles.
Kosciusko coach Tony Terry said, “It’s probably the best softball rivalry in the state.”
Caledonia will be the largest school in 4A with 499 students. Greenwood has 491, Houston 390 and Louisville 385.
Regions for other sports are not shown on the MHSAA website. Kosciusko competes in cross country, track, tennis and golf.
Newton County will join Choctaw Central, Leake Central, Northeast Lauderdale and West Lauderdale in 4-4A.
In 1A, Ethel has 135 students, French Camp 112 and McAdams 87. East Marion is the largest 1A school with 156 students.
There are only six schools smaller than McAdams, including Mississippi School for the Deaf and Mississippi Schools for the Blind with 27 and 10 students. They do not compete against other MHSAA schools. Of the other four schools smaller than McAdams – Jumpertown, Coldwater, Blue Mountain and Piney Woods – only Coldwater plays football.
McAdams, Ethel and French Camp will compete in 6-1A, along with Nanih Waiya, Noxapater and Velma Jackson. That will be all new region opponents for McAdams in football, currently in a region with schools from the Mississippi Delta.
Ethel and French Camp are currently in a football region with Noxapater, Hamilton, Sebastopol and West Lowndes.
